1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus for forming an image by an electrophotographic system in a printer, such as a laser printer, an LED printer, a liquid crystal printer, etc. used as the terminal equipment of a computer, a facsimile or the like and, more particularly, to an electrophotographic apparatus adapted for so-called "a personal use" to be easily handled.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional electrophotographic apparatus, a periodic inspection and a replacement of necessary components have been performed by a special maintenance technician except for the supply of toner.
However, as this electrophotographic apparatus is brought into personal use, a problem occurs in the necessity of periodic inspection in terms of expense and rapidity. In order to cope with the problem, a process cartridge in which a charger, a cleaner, a developing unit, a waste toner storage unit and the like are integrally associated, in addition to a photosensitive drum, in a cartridge as required is constructed and delivered in the market.
Since a general user can easily replace components in a component replacing system using the process cartridge, a special maintenance technician is not required except for an accidental trouble, which contributes to the popularization of the personal use electrophotographic apparatus.
A conventional electrophotographic apparatus using the above-described process cartridge is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 34545/1984 entitled "A Copying Machine". In this copying machine, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an opening 3 is formed at the front wall 2 of a housing 1, and the opening 3 is openably formed by a front cover 4 supported by the bottom of the housing 1. A process cartridge 5 which can be laterally drawn from the opening 3 is arranged in the housing 1, and in the process cartridge 5 are arranged a photosensitive drum 7 rotatably provided through a rotational shaft 6, a charger 8 for uniformly applying charge to the photosensitive drum 7, a developing unit 9 for depositing toner T on an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 7, and a cleaner 10 for removing the remaining toner on the drum 7.
On the other hand, in the housing 1 are arranged a light source 12 for scanning an original on a contact glass 11 on the upper surface thereof, an optical system 13 for forming the electrostatic latent image based on image information of the original scanned by the light source 12, a transfer unit 14 for transferring the toner image formed on the drum 7 by the developing unit 9 to a sheet, and a fixing unit 15 for fixing the toner image transferred to the sheet to the sheet by means of heat and pressure.
However, according to the electrophotographic apparatus (copying machine) described above, the front cover 4 is opened to detach or attach the process cartridge 5. In this case, since a structure that the process cartridge 5 is horizontally drawn from the opening 3 is employed, a new process cartridge 5 must be placed on a table or on an exclusive base for placing it, and the process cartridge 5 must be detached and alternatively attached in a bent waist attitude to causing the operability to be reduced.